The overall, long-term objectives of this proposed Minority Biomedical Research Support at the University of Hawaii at Hilo are to: (1) increase the scope and quality of biomedical research conducted at the institution, while enhancing its capability to support research; and (2) recruit minority undergraduate students and provide them with the research training, academic support, and career counseling that will facilitate their admission to and success in post-baccalaureate programs in the biomedical sciences and health-related professions. The Program seeks to attain these objectives through its Enrichment Component and related activities, and through 6 research sub-projects involving 11 faculty investigators, 30 minority undergraduate students, and one graduate student. Project #1 proposes to study the relationship between adiposity and health risk factors in Native Hawaiians and train 5 students. Project #2 proposes to study molecular labeling of secretory vesicles and cytoskeletal elements involved in cellular secretion in fungal cysts and hyphal tips and train 2 students. Project #3 proposes to study the psychological aspects of training for and competing in triathlons and train 2 students. Project #4 proposes to study age of transition to adult diet and its association with age patterns of growth and development, morbidity and mortality in at least 24 developing countries and train 3 students. Project #5 proposes to develop electrochemical sensors for amperometric detection of clinically important compounds and train 4 students. Project #6 proposes to conduct molecular genetic analysis of the mechanism of nuclear DNA replication in yeast and train 5 students (4 Undergraduate and 1 graduate student).